Afghanistan has been in conflict for more than 40 years. The country is among the poorest in the world, and the humanitarian crisis has deepened since the Taliban takeover in August 2021. The situation for women and girls is particularly vulnerable.
Armenia has a long history marked by multiple conflicts. FBA supports the country’s democratic development and peacebuilding efforts, including strengthening election integrity and assisting the EU election observation mission in the Armenia–Azerbaijan conflict. The 2026 parliamentary elections are a key milestone, and additional initiatives are under development.
Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) remains governed by the 1995 peace agreement. While it ended the war, the agreement created a complex system that divides power along ethnic lines and complicates reforms. FBA supports the country’s democratic resilience through projects focused on dialogue and reconciliation. EU integration is a key driver of development, while regional security and stability are crucial for Sweden and Europe.
After more than fifty years of civil war, a peace agreement was signed in 2016 between the Colombian government and the guerrilla group FARC. The agreement led to around 13,000 combatants laying down their arms, and FARC was transformed into a political party. FBA provides support to and cooperates with several of the peacebuilding actors leading Colombia’s efforts for peace and development.
After decades of conflict and with millions of people displaced, the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) faces enormous challenges. The FBA supports a number of processes and actors that are laying the foundations for a more peaceful development.
The Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) is a union of 15 West African countries that promotes economic and political cooperation across the region. FBA collaborates with ECOWAS to strengthen the organisation’s work on gender equality, dialogue and mediation.
The EU is Sweden’s most important foreign policy platform. Europe and Sweden are facing the most serious security situation in modern times, following Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. By strengthening countries’ capacity to address cross-border security threats, our own national security is also reinforced. FBA’s partnership with the EU aims to strengthen the EU as a global actor for peace and security. FBA collaborates primarily with the EU in three core areas: civil crisis management, EU integration, and the EU’s integrated approach to conflicts and crises.
In recent years, Georgia’s development has been marked by a serious democratic regression, with legislation restricting the space for civil society, as well as the freedoms of assembly, expression, and the press. This has been met with large-scale public protests. The 2024 parliamentary elections were characterised by deficiencies, threats, and voter surveillance. As a result, Georgia’s path towards the EU has stalled, and Sweden has suspended all cooperation between government agencies with the country.
Since 2024, the Folke Bernadotte Academy (FBA) has been working on hybrid threats and also seconds personnel to The European Centre of Excellence for Countering Hybrid Threats (Hybrid CoE) in Helsinki. Through these secondments, we strengthen our cooperation with the Centre and can make greater use of its expertise, methods, and models in our own activities.
Iraq has been severely affected by prolonged authoritarian rule and multiple wars. Millions of people are in need of humanitarian assistance, and the country remains one of the most terror-affected in the world. Various groups continue to compete for resources and influence.
Liberia has become a model of peace and democracy in West Africa, despite severe poverty and devastating civil war. FBA supports efforts for sustainable peace and the rule of law principles.
Extremism, human trafficking and lawlessness pose major challenges for Mali. Human rights violations are widespread. FBA contributes personnel to the EU mission EUCAP Sahel Mali.
Moldova is one of the countries most heavily targeted by Russian pressure since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Hybrid threats affect virtually all parts of society and are reinforced by the threat of military intervention. FBA works with the Moldovan Government Chancellery to strengthen the country’s resilience, supports societal reforms necessary for Moldova’s EU integration, and seconded personnel to the EU mission EUPM.
Since 2017, northern Mozambique, in Cabo Delgado province, has experienced violent attacks by Islamic State Mozambique, locally known as Ahlu Sunna Wal Jama’a. FBA supports both state actors and civil society in countering the violence and promoting stabilisation, as part of the Swedish government’s strategy for peace, security, and stabilisation in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
Sweden’s NATO membership brings a new partner for FBA and a new international platform for the agency to contribute to conflict prevention and management, as well as to strengthen the conditions for international security and sustainable peace.
The Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), with its 57 participating states, is a key actor for peace, security, and stability in Europe and its neighbourhood. FBA’s support focuses on collaboration with OSCE’s Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR) and its work on free and fair elections, the rule of law, and accountability
The humanitarian situation in Palestine is severe and has long been affected by the Israeli occupation. In addition to the humanitarian crisis in Gaza, reports of human rights violations and violence in the West Bank have increased. FBA’s work in Palestine is carried out primarily through secondments to EU actors and through the Zaida Catalán Memorial Scholarship.
For almost four decades, Somalia has been affected by violence, weak institutions, and armed conflict. Despite these challenges, efforts are underway to rebuild the state and lay the foundations for peace, security, and sustainable development. FBA contributes to these efforts by promoting inclusive and participatory processes, ensuring that women, youth, and marginalized groups play an active role in building peace and stability.
FBA has been tasked by the Swedish Government, together with Sida and the Swedish Institute, to implement Sweden’s strategy for reconstruction and reform cooperation with Ukraine for 2023–2027. Through our efforts, we aim to contribute to Ukraine’s EU integration, which is an important part of creating long-term conditions for peace and security in the country.
The UN is an important platform for Swedish foreign and security policy and one of the primary custodians of a rules-based international order, global peace, and security. Through a broad ecosystem of actors, the UN supports its member states in managing acute crises and conflicts, promoting diplomatic solutions, and working towards long-term conflict prevention and increased resilience. FBA supports the UN’s work at the national and regional levels to effectively address and prevent conflict, with the aim of contributing to peace, security, and stabilization.